New Zealand Starts Online Casino Licence Application Process

New Zealand has formally started the process of selecting operators for its future regulated online casino market, opening an expression of interest stage that will determine which applicants can proceed to the next phase of licensing.

The Department of Internal Affairs (DIA) is accepting expressions of interest, or EOIs, from companies seeking one of the 15 online casino licences that will become available under the country’s new regulatory system. Applications for this initial stage must be submitted by 14 August.

The EOI process represents the first part of a three-stage licensing programme. Operators accepted at this stage will become eligible to participate in a licence auction scheduled for September. Successful bidders will then move to the full application process in October, with authorities expecting licences to be issued in early 2027.

The invitation to prospective operators was published on 16 July, moving New Zealand’s online casino reforms into the implementation phase following the passage of legislation governing the new market.

Applicants Face Capital and Disclosure Requirements

Companies seeking entry into the licensing process must submit their applications through the Government Electronic Tenders Service (GETS) portal. Each application requires payment of a non-refundable NZ$19,000 fee.

Financial eligibility forms another part of the initial assessment. Applicants must show that they have access to at least NZ$7.5 million in capital.

The DIA also requires extensive information about the businesses applying for licences. Operators must identify key officers and explain their ownership and management structures. Applications must also include details about the gambling brand and platform the company intends to use.

No operator will be permitted to hold more than three licences under the framework.

Applicants must provide evidence supporting the information contained in their submissions. Required documentation includes credit reports and certified identification documents, as well as criminal record clearances or equivalent records issued in other jurisdictions. Proof that the required capital is available must also accompany the application.

The assessment process also examines applicants’ previous regulatory and legal histories. Prospective licensees must disclose past regulatory breaches and any current legal investigations. Information concerning insolvency events must also be provided, along with adverse decisions made by advertising regulators in New Zealand or other countries.

Entain has already stated that it intends to pursue three licences. Chief executive Stella David previously indicated that the company expects its exclusive partnership with TAB in New Zealand to create an opportunity to cross-sell sports betting and online casino products if its applications succeed.

Licensing Moves Ahead Under New Regulations

The opening of the EOI stage follows the introduction of the Online Casino Gambling Regulations 2026, which came into force on 3 July.

Transitional arrangements apply to offshore online operators  that were serving customers in New Zealand on 1 May. Those businesses may continue operating until 1 December while the country progresses toward its regulated market model.

The position of TAB NZ within the future licensing system has also been reconsidered. Last month, the government revised its interpretation of existing legislation and concluded that there are no statutory restrictions preventing TAB NZ from participating in the licensing process.

“The TAB NZ is a statutory entity with specific functions described in the Racing Industry Act, including to conduct betting, broadcasting, and gaming, and to make rules under Part 4 relating to betting,” the Department said. “We consider gaming has a broad meaning, encompassing online casino gambling.”

That interpretation potentially allows TAB NZ to take part in the same licensing process now being opened to prospective online casino operators.

Parliament approved the Online Casino Gambling Act earlier in 2026, establishing the legislative basis for the regulated market and the licensing system now moving through its implementation stages.

Centralised Exclusion Register Still Under Development

The regulatory framework also includes future requirements related to player protection.

Under the Online Casino Gambling Act, the Minister for Internal Affairs must recommend regulations establishing a centralised exclusion register by 1 December 2027.

Work on the proposed system remains at an early stage.

“The Department has started initial high-level policy work on the register,” the government said. “Further decisions on the design of the register, consultation approach, and delivery arrangements are still to be made, so we are not in a position to provide further detail at this stage.”

The government has said the wider implementation timetable is intended to provide sufficient time to assess licence applications and carry out compliance checks before the regulated market begins operating in 2027. The schedule also provides time for harm minimisation measures to be put in place.

For prospective operators, the immediate focus is the EOI deadline on 14 August. Applicants that clear this first stage will be able to move into the September auction, followed by full licence applications for successful bidders in October.

With 15 licences available and a maximum of three permitted for each operator, the selection process will determine which companies can participate when New Zealand’s regulated online casino market begins operating. Authorities currently expect the first licences to be issued in early 2027.

Source:

New Zealand Starts Online Casino Licence Process, realmoneyaction.com, July 20, 2026